Vacation Hints – Sunset Properties Blog

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023

5 GO TO Ice Cream Stops!

Hi Friends, Happy Labor Day Weekend! We have compiled a list of the 5 BEST ice cream stops here in Gulf Shores. Be sure to check them out and let us know what you think.

Matt’s Homemade Alabama Ice Cream

Coming in at number 1 is Matt’s Homemade Ice Cream. This place has got it down… everything from sundaes, banana splits, and fun flavors. Something for everyone to choose from!

The Yard

If you are looking for a milkshake this place has what you are looking for. Extravagant Milkshakes with 33 flavors to choose from and, of course, you can’t forget the 8 flavors of cookie dough. This months specials are Brown Sugar Blast, Frosted Cake ( this has a WHOLE cupcake on it!), and Peanut Buter and Pop Tarts. They also have normal milkshakes and regular cups of ice cream!

Scoops Gulf Shores

We couldn’t leave out our Scoops! This is one of our favorite spots to grab ice cream from during the summer. Quick, easy, and always sooo good!

Pelican Scoops Ice cream

Pelican Scoops is located at the Fort Morgan Marina and has Blue Bell Ice Cream. They also have virgin daiquiris, milkshakes, and snowcones!

Spoonz Hand Rolled Ice Cream

Spoonz is a hand rolled Ice cream spot! Take the kids to experience something new as they watch their ice cream being made in front of them!

Need a place to stay? Check us out online at www.sunsetproperties.com or give us a call or send us a text to 251-543-1370!

August 8, 2023August 8, 2023

September at the Beach!

Hey Friends! OWA is throwing a Labor Day Weekend party September 1^st-3^rd. They have quite the lineup with live music, their 6^th annual car show, and even a hot dog eating contest! Make sure you bring the kids out to see the fun. They have live music from Stormfolk, Ryan Dyer, and Ben Loftin lined up for the weekend. To register for the hot dog eating contest, click here!

Bulls on The Beach is back September 7-9^th, 2023! This year they will be having 3 action packed nights of professional cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country come out and compete. Thursday night is for the junior riders on miniature bulls, a coloring contest with two winners, and ending the night with the Professional Riders in the adult competition! Tickets are available for purchase online and are $30 for adults, 15 for children 7-17 years old, and children 6 and under are free! Gates will be opening at 6 PM every night and the rodeo begins at 8 PM. Parking is extremely limited, so they strongly suggest you arrive early. The Flora Bama will be donating a portion of proceeds from Bulls on the Beach to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Need a place to stay? Sunset Properties has you covered from houses for the whole family to condos for two. Come spend the weekend in a fabulous unit at Phoenix West II! This is a 3-bedroom unit that sleeps 12 comfortably. This unit has tons of amenities for the kiddos to enjoy while you are here as well. Make sure they check out the game room! Don’t need as much room? Check out our unit at Grand Caribbean! This unit is a 2 bedroom that sleeps 6 and is located directly across from the public beach access. Visit us online at www.sunsetproperties.com or give us a call at 251-543-1370 and let us get you booked! We’ll See Ya at Sunset!

July 19, 2023July 19, 2023

Upcoming events at the Wharf!

Hey Friends! The team here at Sunset hope you are having a fun filled summer break. We have a few fun events coming to The Wharf in the coming months! Not only is the Summer Concert Series still going on to finish off the season, but things like fishing tournaments, kids parties, and more!

This summer The Wharf is hosting themed events for the kiddos! Wild Wild Wharf is a western kids night that will have a mechanical bull, water slide, pony rides, bounce houses, face painting, and more! Kids that wear their best western themed costume will be entered into a costume contest. The wharf knows how to put on an event for the kids, so this is something not to miss! On Thursdays, they are having a surprise theme that is revealed the week before the event. Be sure to check out their calendar to see what this weeks event theme is! Some big names are coming to the Amphitheater in August! Eric Church, Three Doors Down, and Jason Aldean are all on the lineup and put on the BEST show. The Wharf amphitheater hold around 10,000 people and there is not a bad seat in the place. Whether you are front row to see your favorite artist or the only seat you could get was at the top you wont be disappointed. Visit this link to see the updated lineup for the rest of this year! Plus, Caribe B Penthouse 4 is a three bedroom 3 bathroom bayside unit that overlooks Robinson Island and is only about a 6 mile drive from The Wharf. Prep the boat and get those fishing poles ready! The Orange Beach Open is rolling into The Wharf on August 3-7 hosted by Galati Yachts Sales. Boats will leave on Thursday and the weigh- in will take place on Saturday. This is a trolling only tournament and no live bait is allowed to be used. This is a no-kill tournament and all Billfish are released! Be sure to come check out the weigh in on Saturday to see all the fish caught!

Make sure to check out Sunset’s newest property, Believe! The team has been working hard to get this property ready for you and your family. This house can sleep 12 people with 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms plus its only a 300 yard walk to the white sandy beaches of Fort Morgan! We would love to host you and your family in this beautiful newly renovated home and show you why Fort Morgan, AL is the perfect place for you to vacation. If you aren’t in the market for a 5 bedroom home check out our website or give us a call at 251-543-1370 and let us help you find something smaller! We’ll See Ya at Sunset!

June 29, 2023June 29, 2023

Fourth of July on the Alabama Gulf Coast

Hi Friends! Summer is in full swing around here with perfect beach days and beautiful weather. Now is the perfect time to bring the littles down and enjoy everything this beach town has to offer!

If you like the sand between your toes and the sound of waves crashing as you watch the fireworks, then you have the right spot. The City of Gulf Shores will be setting off their firework show at 9 pm from the Gulf State Park Fishing Pier. Let the kids see a show they won’t ever forget! They begin setting up at 7 am and the fireworks will be shot from the middle of the pier this year. This means either The Gulf State Park or the eastern area of the Gulf Shores Public Beach will be the best viewing areas!

Ready to Run on vacation? The Wharf is hosting their 8^th annual SHARK 5k Run/ Competitive Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run on July 4 beginning at 7 am. Register before June 18 and get a early bird discount. The first 350 people to register will receive a custom shark run shirt!

Have kids you need to keep entertained during the day? The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will be having a hands on habitat hosted at Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores! While the event itself is free they are asking that everyone has reservations to attend. It begins at 11 am and they are asking you arrive 15 minutes early. Follow the link here to RSVP!

Need a place to stay? Sunset Properties has you covered! We have a 4 bedroom 3 bath house called Julia’s by the Sea at Martinique. This property is located in a gated community and comes with a golf cart to use! Our new property Believe is available. Believe is a 5 bedroom 4 bathroom house located in Fort Morgan. This property is perfect if you have family you want to bring with you. Andrews Cottage is located in Gulf Shores and is 2 bedroom 2 bathroom. This house has access to its own private pier on the lagoon! Give us a call at 251-543-1370 or visit us online at www.sunsetproperties.com.

May 9, 2023May 9, 2023

Hangout Festival 2023 Tips and Tricks!

Hey Friends! With Hangout Fest coming up in a few weeks we thought it would be a good idea to compile a list of Sunset’s Hangout Essentials to help you make it through the weekend. They have a lot of great artists this year and you do NOT want to miss someone you’ve waited months to see!

Sunscreen!!

You do not want to be the lobster red friend running to hide from the sun at any given chance. Make sure that you put on your SPF before you leave the condo so that you’re prepared! Liquid sunscreen in non-aerosol containers of 3 oz or less is allowed into the festival.

Drink Plenty of Water

Make sure you keep hydrated. Being in the sun all day can be exhausting, so making sure you are properly hydrated is essential to having a good time! You are allowed to bring in a single pocket camelback hydration pack or 1 non-glass water container up to 2 liters in size into the festival to refill at their water stations. It must be empty when going through security!

Bring a portable phone charger

You’re going to want to take all the instagram pictures, Snapchat stories, and live videos so that everyone knows how much fun you are having. That takes a lot of battery and phone storage to do! Make sure that you have a portable charger, that you made sure to charge beforehand (haha), so that you don’t have a lapse in content!

Don’t forget tickets/ comfortable outfits

Number 1 essential that normally can’t be rebought when you get here is your wristband! Make sure you pack it in a safe spot or go ahead and put it on before you leave the house. Also, make sure you are dressing to be comfortable during the day! You will be out and about for the whole day so you do not want to regret your outfit or shoe choices!

An Awesome place to stay!

You want to be able to check in to your unit and enjoy yourself. Let us take the hard work out of it for you! Get your insta worthy pics and then head on over to the festival without a care in the world. Sunset Properties has you covered! Gorgeous beach front units like Crystal Shores West 901. This condo is a 3 bed/3 bath that sleeps 9 and is only 1 mile from The Hangout! Wanting to be in a house instead of a condo? We have Beach Time available that is also a 3 bed/2 bath sleeping 8. This house is 2 miles from the festival! Give us a call at 251-543-1370 or check us out online at www.sunsetproperties.com and see what we have available!

Make sure to say hello if you see any of us at the festival and get your hands on a Sunset Properties bracelet! Have a fun and safe time and, “ We’ll See Ya at Hangout!”

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023

Easter on the Beach

Hey Friends! We have a few fun events coming up in the next few weeks. Easter, the Mullet Toss, and Bama Coast Cruisin’ are just the tip of the iceberg of fun coming to Gulf Shores in the next few months. Summer is just around the corner.

This year The Wharf is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt put on by The Island Church with more than 5,000 eggs on April 2^nd! There will be bounce houses, balloon artist, and so much more for the kids to do. Activities will start at 11 a.m and the Egg Hunt starts promptly at 11:30 a.m. What a fun way to take the kids to celebrate while also finding something for the adults to do as well.

Lulu’s also puts on one of the best Easter celebrations! The Easter egg hunt begins at 2 pm and they will have a photo op for the kids from 1 to 3 p.m at all Lulu’s locations. Eat some great food and let the kids play while you enjoy yourself!

Mark your calendars because one of the biggest beach parties hosted on the Alabama Gulf Coast, The Mullet Toss comes to town April 28^th– 30^th! The mullet toss is a weekend full of fun for all ages, so come visit the Flora- Bama and toss a mullet over the Alabama- Florida state line.

Mullet are tossed from a 10’ circle down a 200 foot long course. It cost $20.00 to throw a mullet and that includes a T-shirt to remember the weekend! All of the proceeds will go to helping local communities with drug and alcohol addiction. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday with kids activities starting at 10 am and ending with Adult Awards at 4:30 pm. Once the festival is over the mullet are donated to Alligator Alley or the Gulf Coast Zoo for the alligators to feast on!

Looking for a place to stay? Call/Text us at 251-543-1370 or visit our website www.sunsetproperties.com to book! Here is a link to units we have in Orange Beach. Just a few we have available are Caribe C Penthouse 14, Sugar Beach 138, and Phoenix 7 1217! Check us out before these units book up!

February 27, 2023February 27, 2023

BEach SAFE in Gulf Shores

Hey Friends! Spring Break is just around the corner meaning that warmer weather is coming! Now is a good time to refresh your memory on beach safety and what to do if you encounter rip currents. You should always remember to swim with a friend and to always play it safe. Always make sure that you check conditions before getting in the water. You can even get text alerts now, test ALERTBALDWIN to 888777 to enroll.

Rip Currents are one of the easiest ways to get sucked out in the Gulf. They are powerful narrow channels of water moving quickly away from the shore. You will find that they are most common where waves are crashing perpendicular to the beach. My family’s rule was that if it looked like a “washing machine” there was most likely a rip current there. You can also look for discolored water near the shore. When rip currents form, they are dragging sand from the bottom of the ocean or gulf. Now that you are familiar with Rip Currents. How do you escape one? The first thing you must do is remain calm. If you try to fight the current, you will get tired very quickly. To get out of a current you need to swim parallel to the shore. Once you feel that you are out you can swim to safety. If the current is too strong to escape, you should float or tread water until you feel it weaken. Then you can swim back to shore. If you see someone caught in a current, you should call 9-1-1 and look for a lifeguard. If a lifeguard is not around, you should throw them something to float on and yell instructions. DO NOT put yourself in danger trying to rescue someone else!

Sun Safety is another big need to know around here! You should apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply at least every 2 hours or after getting wet. You should also wear clothing that has SPF in it and hats to keep the sun off. Especially for children! Make sure that you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Heat Stroke is very common down here. You should watch for hot, red, dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. If you see someone having these symptoms, call 9-1-1 and keep the victim lying down with ice packs on them.

Need a place to stay? Sunset Properties has you covered! Check us out online or give us a call at 251-543-1370 and let us find the perfect spot for you. Kids like lazy rivers? Caribe B Penthouse 4 may be the spot for you! Like to be away from the hustle and bustle? Dunes 501 would be perfect. Do you really want that beautiful Gulf view? Make sure you check out Crystal Tower 706!

February 13, 2023February 13, 2023

Summer Concerts at the Wharf!

Hey friends! We have had SO many concert announcements lately. The Wharf Amphitheater seats 10,000 people and there really is not a bad seat in the house. It is an open-air venue so most shows are rain or shine ( except for lightning!). To see a updated list of shows coming to The Wharf click here. For tickets to shows visit Ticketmaster.com or click here! Here are the shows coming currently!

May 5^th, Whiskey Meyers will be taking the stage at 7:30 pm

May 13^th, Hank Williams Jr with special guest Old Crow Medicine Show start at 7:00 pm

May 27^th, Kenny Chesney with special guest Kelsea Ballerini start at 7:30 pm

June 2^nd, Koe Wetzel will be starting at 6:00 pm

June 24^th, Walker Hayes with special guest Ingrid Andress+ Ray Fulcher start at 6:30

July 15^th, Parker McCollum with special guest Morgan Wade take the stage at 7:30 pm

August 17^th-19^th, Eric Church with special guest Lainey Wilson + Jackson Dean start at 7:00 pm

That is a pretty awesome line up this early in the year! As always, if you are needing a place to stay we have lots to choose from. Close to the wharf we have 2 Caribe Penthouses that both have gorgeous views. They are both 3 bedroom 3 bathroom and sleep 6! To check out the rest of the properties we have available, click here! Let us do the hard work for you give us a call or send us a text to 251-543-1370 and we will find you the perfect place. Or you can check us out online at www.sunsetproperties.com!

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023

Hangout 2023

Hey Friends! Jack Frost is here for a little winter vacation, but it won’t last long. Summer is just around the corner and that means Hangout Fest 2023 is on its way May 19-21, 2023! The festival is located on East Beach in Gulf Shores, AL and is a three day festival filled with artists big and small. They have a great lineup this year with headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sza, Calvin Harris, Paramore, and so many more. Hangout Fest is a great way to kick off the summer. With friends, great music, and the beach, what more could you want? This is a great way to come and listen to your favorite artists and find some more favorites on the way. If the music isn’t your thing there are so many other fun activities. In previous years, theres been puppy booths, temporary tattoos, beach bars, a Ferris Wheel, and even roller skating! Find the love of your life? Well, they have a wedding chapel where you can get married for real or just for fun! It is just a great time to spend with your friends and experience new things. Tickets are on sale now (and a little cheaper) and normally sell out so you better hurry!

In need of a place to stay? Sunset Properties has you covered whether you want to be in the hustle and bustle or further down the beach! Properties like Ocean House I and II, Phoenix West, Boardwalk, and luxury properties in Fort Morgan. We have a little bit of everything, so make sure you give us a call/text at 251-543-1370 or visit our website at www.sunsetproperties.com. Make sure to look out for the Sunset Properties crew and say hi!

January 2, 2023January 2, 2023

5 Reasons to #bookdirect with Sunset Properties

With Sunset Properties, What you see is what you get! We will not ever mislead you or pressure you into booking anything you don’t want or need. Our team wants you to feel like a part of the family and that means we are going to make that happen!

Wide Variety of Homes available

One of the nicest things about Sunset is that we have a huge variety of houses and condos available. Sunset has everything from luxury properties to accommodate the whole family to small condos for just a romantic getaway.

Cleanliness of Homes

We take pride in knowing that you are showing up to a home that has not only been cleaned by professionals, but also inspected by a member of the Sunset crew. Our team knows how important it is for your family to enjoy a clean environment while on your vacation, and if anything is ever not right we will do everything to ensure it gets fixed!

Friendly Staff

When you book direct with Sunset Properties you are getting a real person helping you plan the details of your trip. You have someone that lives on the Alabama Gulf Coast that you can ask, “ Hey, what’s a good place to go to dinner?” Or “Where’s the closest Walmart to my property?” Get down here and still need help? Come see us in the office! We are located across from The Track at 3145 Gulf Shores Parkway (Alabama Hwy 59). If you need us after office hours we have an on-call service that is there to help or you can send us a text message!

Pets are welcome!

Sunset knows that your four- legged friends become family and are so hard to leave at home. That’s why we make sure that we have properties for you and them! Many of our properties are dog friendly, with only some restrictions. We are also always happy to recommend the best beaches and dog parks!

No Scams or spams

We won’t spam you and we won’t scam you. While some individuals may not actually be who they say they are, Sunset Properties is a reputable company, both in our local area and nationally. We are proud to be a member of the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber and a partner with the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau. Additionally, we have partnerships with Xplorie, and Red Sky. We are the real deal and we have over thirty-five years of experience in the real estate and hospitality industry and we are here to stay. You can rest assured you’re booking with a great company and rest well when you arrive and stay with us.